The Stars Fall Silent
by Bluehaven4220
Summary: There's a new planet in the solar system, there is nothing up my sleeve. Follow Sarah as she struggles to put her life back together, and discovers the motivation behind the Goblin King's newest request.
1. Twenty Years

**Title: The Stars Fall Silent**

**Author: Bluehaven4220**

**Summary: "There's a new planet in the solar system, there is nothing up my sleeve". Follow Sarah as she struggles to put her life back together, and discovers the motivation behind the Goblin King's newest request.**

**Disclaimer: I do not lay claim to anything related to Labyrinth, the Muppets, or anything related to said movie/entities. I'm only playing with them, and promise to return them unharmed.**

**A/N: This is something new that I have decided to try. I recently saw Labyrinth, starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, and decided it'd be a good idea to challenge myself. I am thoroughly enjoying writing this, I hope you have as much fun reading it.**

**Reviews are always welcome and appreciated**

**ooOoo**

_That's the end and that's the start of it, that's the whole and that's part of it, that's the high, that's the heart of it, that's the long and that's the short of it. That's the best, that's the test in it, that's the doubt, the doubt the trust in it. That's the sight, that's the sound of it, that's the gift, that's the trick in it._

_Twenty Years- Placebo_

**ooOoo**

Sarah awoke from another nightmare, her bed sheets soaking and her pajamas sticking to her body. It was the Labyrinth again, but then again when was it that she was not dreaming of the Labyrinth? For seven years the Labyrinth had haunted her. The memories, the faces, the Goblin King…

Forcing herself out of bed, she made her way to the bathroom. Taking a quick shower, she threw on a pair of sweatpants and a sweater. If she couldn't sleep she might as well do something useful. Granted, sitting outside on the porch with a book and a cigarette may not have been considered by some to be useful, but all the same…

Grabbing her old copy of The Labyrinth (she admittedly hadn't read it for a little over six years), and her pack of cigarettes hidden beneath it in her dresser, she quietly headed down the stairs and outside.

Sitting herself down, she lit a cigarette and opened up the book. Upon reading it again, she failed to recognize what had once had her so fascinated with the story. Goblins and creatures of unknown origin and the Labyrinth itself… what had drawn her to it? Really, it was nothing more than a story.

However, one couldn't ignore the journey the Goblin King had taken her on all those years ago. She'd faced everything from an oubliette to the King himself, and all in the name of what? Of course, she'd grown up after that journey. Slowly but surely, it had happened, and it was still happening. With little contact with her father, stepmother, and Toby, she faced the challenge of learning who she was on her own.

Turning the page, she took another drag on her cigarette and forced herself to concentrate on what she looking at.

"Would you consider smoking harmful to your health?" a drawling, suddenly familiar voice asked.

Looking up, she nearly jumped at the fact that none other than Jareth the Goblin King stood in front of her.

Of all people she had wanted to see in the middle of the night, he was certainly not one of them. For thirteen hours he'd made her life a living hell. She'd regretted her mistake in wishing Toby away immediately, but he insisted that if she were so keen on retrieving her screaming baby brother, she had thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth. She'd done so, rejecting his offer of everything she could ever want at his side in the process.

"Depends on what your basis for comparison is," she tapped the cigarette, the ash falling to the ground in front of her. "Many people smoke a pack or more a day and are healthy as can be till the day they die. Others smoke three in their entire lifetime and end up with cancer. It's all genetic."

"And time is all relative," he smirked.

"A concept that has not bothered me for over six years," she put the book down next to the chair on the porch and leaned forward. "Why are you here?"

"Suddenly it is a crime to pay a visit to the only young lady who's ever actually solved my labyrinth in the time allotted to her?" he held out a hand to her.

Sarah did not move. She had no reason to trust him. The cigarette smoke curled around her fingers as she stared at him. He had that strange, alluring quality to him that she'd seen in him at fifteen, though she would later dismiss that as magic, same as the crystals.

"So, Sarah, why are you awake in the middle of the night?"

"Insomnia," she quipped.

"In other words, you don't sleep," he answered.

"Congratulations, you're as smart as a dolphin, let's see if you can graduate to chimpanzee," she took one last drag on her cigarette and stubbed it into the ground. "When someone says 'give me back what's mine', one would usually?"

"Hand it back, if they were more generous than I."

"You're not generous, Goblin King. One does not make a young person run a labyrinth and reorder time if they are generous." Getting up, Sarah turned her back on the Goblin King and slowly opened the front door. "Please don't contact me again, I'm too old for these childish mind games."

Jareth smirked behind her back.

"You're quite cynical, Sarah," he told her.

She turned to look at him, a sad look in her eyes.

"I've got no choice," she answered, her hand on the doorknob.

"Now then, Precious, there's always a choice."

She flashed him a glare, detesting the nickname he had bestowed upon her at the age of fifteen.

"Not when you're on your own." With those words, she opened the door, stepped inside said door and left him standing outside. If he had any sense, he'd heed her request and leave her in peace.

Strangely enough, once she'd gotten back into bed, she slept soundly. There were no other nightmares, no other mention of the Labyrinth. The rain just gently tapped on the window throughout the night, reminding her of that fateful night over six years ago. Upon winning Toby back, she swore she would never again wish for anything.

Seeing Jareth tonight, however, only stood to confirm the very reason why she could not call on the friends she'd made throughout the labyrinth. Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus... when she'd left them they'd told her that if she ever needed them, they'd be there.

She'd seen them once since then, and each time she'd called them after that, they didn't appear. Eventually she'd just stopped trying.

The next morning, she awoke with her head hanging over the edge of the bed. Her alarm clock blared the most obnoxious sound known to man, yet still there were days in which she could sleep through it, rising only to shut it off and pull her blanket up over her head.

Today was one of those days. Without even a second thought, she pulled herself from her blanket, shut the alarm off, and attempted to go back to sleep. She'd set it for 7:30, but insomnia often put a damper on the best-laid plans. Three and a half hours of sleep was not enough to function.

Deciding very quickly that there was no point in delaying the inevitable, she got up out of bed and went down the stairs to the kitchen. It was always very quiet throughout the morning, and Sarah enjoyed that fact. She did not have to go into work that day, so the day could be hers. She'd been meaning to register for school for a while; perhaps she'd do so later that morning…

"Good morning, Sarah," she heard as she opened the cabinet to retrieve a coffee mug. Startled, she turned quickly, dropping the mug and causing it to shatter.

Shaking her head, she dropped to her knees and moved to pick up the pieces. "Do you generally just decide to drop in on people this early in the morning?" Her body shook involuntarily as a stray piece sliced into her hand.

Muttering curses, she stood up and went to the sink. Running the water, he moved toward her, studying her every move.

"Such language is certainly not becoming of you, Precious," he pressed down on the tap, stemming the flow of water and running a gloved hand over the wound.

"Have you ever cut your mitt on a broken coffee mug?" she sneered, wincing as she did so. "Can I have my hand back?" she asked, pulling herself away from him and opening another cabinet. This one contained various antiseptics, bandages and medications.

He watched as she selected a bottle, read the label, and proceeded to open it, promptly swallowing three of them. Once it had been replaced, she reached for a bandage and a bottle of antiseptic. It took her less than two minutes to clean the wound and wrap it in the bandage.

Turning to him again, he saw none of the warmth, or kindness, that had once shone in Sarah's eyes. This was not the Sarah Williams he remembered. The Sarah he remembered was feisty, strong, but at the same time she had the curiosity of a young woman trying to find her way. This young woman seemed to be an empty shell, almost devoid of emotion.

"Look, I'm going to put this as bluntly as I can…" she breathed, not daring to look at him. "I don't want to see you, I don't want to look at you, and I am asking you politely to leave." She swept the remainder of the broken mug into the garbage can and went back to busying herself around the kitchen.

"As you wish, my lady," he answered, disappearing as silently as he'd arrived.

**ooOoo**

She could have sworn she'd heard him say "my lady". No one had ever addressed her as such and she hoped they never would again. It was neither a title she had earned nor one that she deserved.

Sincerely hoping that the illusion of Jareth standing in her kitchen was indeed an illusion, she realized that her appetite had vanished. With nothing else to do, she got into the car and drove. She had the exact destination in mind, and had driven there countless times before, but today it seemed longer than usual. Images of Jareth swam before her eyes, causing her to pull over.

"Don't be stupid," she chided herself, banging her head against the steering wheel. "He was not in your kitchen this morning, he's a character from a storybook."

"A storybook character?" she heard his voice. "Of whom do you speak?"

Looking up into her rearview mirror, she saw Jareth's face.

"What the hell?" her neck snapped back and hit the window with considerable force. "Ow…" she brought her hand up to her head, wincing. Turning in her seat, she saw that indeed, no one was there.

Shaking her head, she pulled back on to the road and continued toward her destination.

**ooOoo**

Jareth watched her as she stopped her car, and made her way into the cemetery. There were rows upon rows of markers, the sky seemed dark and cold, and Sarah seemed to be taking her time, almost as though she wasn't sure of where she was headed.

Finally, he watched silently as she stopped in front of what seemed a bare plot of land, until she knelt down and traced her fingers over the glossed lettering.

_Patrick Nathaniel Young 1968- 1993_

_Michael William Young 1990-1993_

That was all, just two names. Those two names were the source of Sarah's torment, though those nightmares she'd been having seemed to be a contributing factor as well. There had been many a night where she'd awoken in the middle of the night cursing his name. Oh, he knew he could be cruel, but never would he intend to cause her harm. To see Sarah in such a state, it made him question. She was the only woman to have ever bested his Labyrinth; and now seven years later she sat on her knees, whispering to the people she'd lost.

Another thing he questioned was the fact that now, after seven years, he was only now able to contact her. If he had known something so tragic had happened to her, he would have contacted her sooner.

His heart nearly split at the sight of his Sarah kissing her fingers and whispering her goodbyes to the two of them.

He saw the tears sliding down her cheeks as she rose and made her way to her car as quickly as she could. Turning her head, it seemed that she had acknowledged his presence, though he could not know for certain. How many people would expect to see a barn owl sitting on a post in the middle of the morning?

Wanting very much to speak with her again, to soothe her, nothing more, he followed behind her, gliding to the window almost as soon as she arrived home.

Stepping out of the car, she turned her head toward him. Shaking her head and rolling her eyes, she went into the house, locking the door behind her. He'd seen her perform the same routine for weeks. Each time she'd return home, she'd lock the door and sit in the dark, not bothering to turn on a light. She'd sit in her bedroom, often just moving from her window to her bed by the time she was too exhausted to do anything else.

Should she need anything, he'd wait.


	2. Precious

**Brown eyed Girl 75: Oh you'll find bits of those in this chapter. It's a process, but I won't keep you waiting for too long. Thank you so much for your kind words.**

**Celestialdome: I will most definitely keep this up, and really? I've hooked you? Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this chapter**

**hazlgrnLizzy: Thank you very much.**

**ooOoo**

_Precious and fragile things, need special handling. My God, what have we done to you? We always tried to share, the tenderest of care, now look what we have put you through. Things get damaged, things get broken, I thought we'd manage, but what's left unspoken? Left us unwritten, there was so little left to give_

_Precious- Depeche Mode_

**ooOoo**

She awoke again that night, cursing his name. It was the Labyrinth, always the Labyrinth. Getting out of bed, she went downstairs to her sitting room and picked up an album. Labeled _Photographs, _he watched as she opened it and a tear went down her cheek.

Jareth said nothing as he moved to sit in the chair opposite Sarah. Eventually she'd realize that he was there, though he would not force his presence on her. The book was full of photos, he mused. Of what or whom, he could not say.

It was less than five minutes later that she looked up and locked eyes with him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am not here to vex you, Sarah," he answered. "You were cursing my name again this night. It has been happening more often in recent weeks."

"How did you know?"

He conjured a crystal and held it in his palm.

"Oh, not these again, please…" she dropped her head into her hand.

"I am not offering you anything this time, Sarah," he answered. "After seven years your voice was heard throughout the Labyrinth." The crystal disappeared before her eyes, popping as though it were a bubble. "As King it was my duty to discover why."

"Have you figured it out?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you hearing my voice in the Underground?"

"That is still a mystery," he answered. "However, I am here on an unrelated matter," he conjured another crystal. She could see herself tossing and turning through the night, hearing Jareth's name, incoherent moaning, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and finally she screamed, scaring herself awake.

"That's been happening every night for the past three months, I don't consider it unusual," she spat, rubbing her eye. "It's just the way it is. I fail to see how anything you could say would change it."

"Sarah," Jareth took her hand in his. "I cannot change something when I don't understand the reason why."

"Which leads me to wonder why the hell you care," she stood up and went back into the kitchen. Grabbing a glass from the drying rack, she rummaged in the fridge and produced an opaque bottle. Pouring a generous amount, it went down in less than a minute. "I am _broken_, can't you see that? There is no amount of promises, empty or otherwise, that can fix me. I don't understand why you're here or why you're concerned about me. In fact, it would probably be best if you'd just let me be, leave me alone to die."

She had rendered him speechless.

"Surely you don't mean that."

"It didn't start with 'I wish', Goblin King, so I must mean it, and my name is not Shirley."

"Your comedic talents never cease to amaze me."

"That wasn't meant to be funny," she replaced the bottle in the fridge and placed the empty glass in the sink. Pushing past him, she could not stand to look at him.

"The Labyrinth has cannibalized itself," he revealed.

"That's not my problem," she told him. "If you ask me all the better for the next naïve child who wishes their sibling away." She shook her head. "Why are you still here? Isn't there some magic spell that makes you disappear? Abracadabra? Close my eyes and count to fifteen? I wish you'd go away?" she paused. "I could go on, but I'm boring myself."

This time it wasn't Jareth who vanished. Instead she found herself in the world of the Labyrinth again, standing outside the gates,

"Oh don't you dare!" Sarah shouted, getting up from her knees and brushing the dirt away. "I did not wish for this, you son of a bitch! You take me back right now!"

"That was not my doing, Sarah," he calmly insisted, appearing behind her, whispering in her ear.

"Then what am I doing here?" There was fire in her eyes. "Why do you need me?"

"_I _do not need you, Sarah…"

"Then take me back!"

"I cannot," he answered.

"What do you mean, you can't?" she was backing away from him now. "You're the Goblin King! You're the ruler of this hellhole; it bends to your will! Every citizen and creature is at your command! What do you mean you can't take me back?"

"The Labyrinth has chosen you, Sarah. Why, I do not know, but you do not have a choice. You must run it again."

"You _must _be joking!"

"I would not… joke about something like this," Jareth told her.

"Sure, you just find it amusing when a few of the creatures in the forests of the Labyrinth decide it's a good idea to play basketball with my head! Yeah, that's so funny my sides are splitting," she fought to project enough malice into her words to inflict some sort of damage. "So much fun, Goblin King, that I can't _wait _to do it again!" she turned away from him toward a steep hill.

"Tell me, Sarah, what purpose would walking up a steep hill into the unknown accomplish?"

"It would serve to bury the feelings of passionate lust that I have for you," she spat. "What do you think I'm trying to do, Goblin King? I'm trying to find a way out of here!"

"There is no way out, Sarah."

"Oh surely, there is always a way out. You taught me that, don't you remember?"

"You wound me, Sarah."

"That comment smacks of a bruised ego."

"And your attitude smacks of a broken heart." Jareth countered.

"Who got to you, Goblin King? Suddenly ruling the Labyrinth proved too difficult and you lost it to your long lost brother in a game of croquet?" She stopped, playing his last statement in her head once more. "What would you know of broken hearts?" a lone tear slipped down her cheek.

Gently, he stepped toward her, cupping her face in his hand. "Enough to know that this pain is fresh. Perhaps this is something to challenge you."

"Challenge me?" her voice was wavering as she pulled away. "I'm facing enough challenges as it is! Losing my husband and son isn't enough? What do you want from me?"

"It is not what I want Sarah, in fact it seems the labyrinth wants you."

"Why would it want me?"

"You are the only person to have defeated it in the time allotted to you," he explained. "If I remember correctly, you solved it in ten hours as opposed to thirteen."

"That was _your _doing!"

"Yes it was, and what was it you said to me? 'That's not fair'?"

If Sarah's eyes could shoot daggers…

"Do not throw that back in my face, Goblin King," she spat at him, her voice like venom. "I won, and never again did I wish for anything. You know nothing of the pain I suffer, and don't tell me that you can't take me back. I want to go home, and I want to forget I ever met you!"

"But that's proving more difficult then ever before, isn't it?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"Do not mock me," she turned from him, feeling as though he was looking right through her, into her heart, picking through her memories.

"Never would I mock you, Sarah, unless I wished to cause you harm."

"You've caused more harm than anyone I've ever known," she answered him. "For seven years I've been living my life without having to worry about you, or the Labyrinth, or anyone else within said contraption. I've built my own life, and now I'm left with nothing!"

"I would not say nothing," Jareth spoke calmly. "From those photographs it seems you've really done well for yourself. A husband and a son, you said?"

"Do not speak to me about such things," there were tears in her eyes. "They deserved better than I could give them. I suppose that's what I get for accepting reality for what it is."

"Oh now, Sarah," he reached forward and wiped the tear from her cheek. "I don't think you believe that."

"Believing and living what you believe are two entirely different things," she mused. "You know, I still don't understand how this is even possible. I defeated you and yours, you shouldn't exist any longer."

Jareth let out a mirthless laugh.

"You know… it's funny how we retreat to a simpler time in life when reality crashes down around us."

"Yes, ha ha, I can barely breathe for laughing…" she pushed past him, walking toward the labyrinth that had so plagued her dreams.

"You accept the challenge, Sarah?"

"If this is the only way I can get away from you in a timely fashion, then yes," she nodded. "I have no desire to come here again, Goblin King, and in light of that fact, the faster I solve whatever it wants me to solve, the faster I'll be rid of you…"

Jareth was still for hardly a moment. Smirking, he followed a good three paces behind her until they reached the gates to the Labyrinth.

Sarah pressed a hand to the stone, pulling back as though burned almost immediately.

"Such a pity," Jareth whispered in her ear.

"I'd have to agree with you." She rubbed the affected hand over her pant leg. "Jesus, that smarts…"

"Such fight in you, Sarah," he whispered again. "The Labyrinth can sense that."

"That's nice…"

"Which is why you must run it alone once again."

"What?" she turned to face him as he faded from view.

"Such a pity," he repeated as he disappeared.

She could not contain it any longer. After seven years she was back in the one place she hoped never to be again, and fighting for what? The chance to heal, as he had so suggested?

The very idea was laughable.

"Damn you, you megalomaniacal bastard!" she shouted as she pushed on the stone again, this time stepping into the very place her journey had originated from seven years previous.


	3. Breakeven

**hazlgrnLizzy: I'm so glad you think so**. **Pride and Prejudice? Really? Hmm.... never really thought of that, must have been a subconscious thing. Thank you for the review**

**Brown eyed Girl 75: I learned from you! :). And I remember that scene from Gladiator! Too bad Joaquin Phoenix is a little... weird? now. He was a good actor, such a pity. Another reference to P and P? Where? I'm intrigued now, I didn't even realize I was doing it. Thank you so much for the review.**

**ooOoo**

_Her best days are some of my worst. She finally found a man who's gonna put her first. While I'm wide awake she's got no trouble sleeping, cause when a heart breaks no it don't break even. _

_Breakeven- The Script_

**ooOoo**

Sarah turned her head to see the castle bathed in a harsh, red glow. The trees that had stood in the courtyard were shriveled, as if the water had run dry. There were no signs of any of the… characters she had met the last time she had been there, and if the gate's reaction to her touch had been any indication, she was quite certain that the walls would do the same.

"What the hell happened here?" she whispered to herself.

Suddenly a roar came from within the first wall of the Labyrinth.

"What the hell is that?" she whispered to herself, backing as close as she could to the wall.

The figure seemed to move in slow motion as she stood frozen. Eventually, her eyes registered that it was big, shaggy, had two horns on its head… the ground shook when he moved.

That could only mean…

"Ludo?"

He had a menacing look in his eyes as he charged toward her.

"Ludo! Ludo, stop! It's me, it's Sarah!"

Ludo practically skirted to a stop, his hair flopping over his eyes. .

"Sawah?" he crooned, leaning forward to stare at her.

"That's right Ludo," she gave him a smile. "Do you remember me?"

He stared at her intently for a few moments, when his expression softened. "Sawah… Sawah fwiend."

"That's right," she reached out her hand. "What's the matter, Ludo? What happened?"

A furry little creature grunted as they climbed up Ludo's back to the top of his head. "Why have we stopped so, Sir Ludo?" he leaned over. "Oh, hello fair maiden! What bringest thou here again?"

"Hello Sir Didymus," she answered, sighing as she turned to walk away.

"Why shouldst thou walk away from us, my lady?" she heard Didymus ask. "Isn't thoust happy to see us again?"

"Of course I am," she lied. "But I need to get through the Labyrinth as quickly as I can."

"We can help you," Didymus insisted.

"Not this time…" it was then she noticed that Didymus was indeed, riding on Ludo's back and Ambrocious was nowhere to be seen.

"Didymus, where's Ambrocious?"

"Alas my lady," Didymus placed his paw over his heart. "Ambrocious died a noble death." He nodded and continued. "He fell victim, one of the first, to the changes in this Labyrinth."

"What sort of changes?"

"Surely my lady has seen the castle? Bathed in a red glow, it is. Sir Ludo and I have had a very hard time, my lady. The trees are dying, and Sir Ludo has had very little to eat these many months. One cannot sit against the wall for fear of being burned."

"Oh yes, I know _all_ about that," she sighed, holding out her burned hand. The skin was still bright red and throbbing. "Do you know why this is happening?"

"No, I do not, my lady," Didymus answered. "Perhaps that is why you are here."

She nodded, turning away and letting her head fall into her hand.

"Sawah sad?" Ludo asked.

"A little bit, Ludo," she answered him, wiping her eyes. "I need to go, you two."

"Ludo help Sawah?"

"Another time, I promise," she called as she walked past them and continued into the maze. She did not dare run her fingers around the wall to find an opening. She could feel the adrenaline rush leaving her as she walked away, almost bemused by what was happening. The last time Ludo had roared like that was when he'd been stung by a couple of goblins. Well, bitten with those little nipper sticks while strung upside down in a tree by his foot.

And Didymus had mentioned changes throughout the Labyrinth itself. Why? Why were things changing? What was Jareth trying to prove, implementing these changes and scaring the living daylights out of both her and its habitants?

Wait a minute; hadn't he said that it wasn't his will that had brought her here in the first place? And before that, hadn't he said that the Labyrinth had cannibalized itself?

He could have said that to shift the blame, she mused. For all I know he actually had done all this and was lying to her. She had no reason to trust him…

But when had he ever lied to her?

"Penny for your thoughts?" she heard behind her.

She turned around to see Jareth standing less than six feet away. He clutched a riding crop in his hand, tapping it around the side of his boot.

"Bored already, Goblin King? Come to see if I've popped off?"

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"It's funny, I thought you were capable of more sophisticated language," she quipped. "Perhaps the seven years in which I've been gone have triggered your decent into senility?"

His eyes narrowed, the tapping quieted. "You know better than to provoke me, Sarah."

"Clearly," she rolled her eyes. "Perhaps I find it amusing. Did that thought ever cross your mind?"

"Come now, Sarah, why the hostility?"

"I don't trust you," she bit out, turning and walking further down the passage. She had taken less than five steps before he appeared in front of her again.

He smiled, tilting his head to the side.

"How long is this going to go on?"

"As long as you want it to, Precious."

"Need I remind you that I don't want to be here at all?" she asked. "I want to solve whatever this thing wants me to solve and then get the hell out of… HERE!"

She had stepped awkwardly on an opening, the ground buckling beneath her. She slid down a dark passage and hit the ground hard. A metal grate clanged shut over her head, leaving her in the dark.

"Oh this is positively hilarious, Goblin King!" she shouted. "Another oubliette, I can't _wait _to do this again!"

"Again, this is not my doing, Sarah," he bent down and managed to catch a glimpse of her through the grate.

"Oh of course it isn't!" she yelled back. "Nothing is ever your fault!" She crawled on her hands and knees, searching for something to show her the way out. "How the hell do I get out of here?" she mumbled.

Her lighter! It would give her just enough light to see where she was going, or if there was any way out. The last time she'd gone down into an oubliette, Hoggle had found some sort of door and leaned it up against a wall. There'd been a passageway right behind it; maybe that passageway was still open.

Fishing the lighter out of her pocket, she flicked it open, bathing the oubliette in a dim glow. It wasn't ideal by any means, but it would do.

**ooOoo**

Jareth sat with his back against a tree, attempting to rest his eyes. It had been seven years since he'd seen Sarah Williams, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't missed her. She had been one of the most competitive runners the Labyrinth, and the only one to solve it in the allotted time.

The Sarah that struggled to escape the oubliette (she'd soon find that damned door and open it correctly) now seemed to be hurting terribly. It wasn't difficult to see that her attitude betrayed her broken heart, but what was even more remarkable was the fact that she'd managed to hide herself from him for so long.

He could still hear her voice proclaiming that he had no power over her. And it was true. She'd fought to get her brother back, she'd rejected his offer, and while he understood her immaturity at the time, he'd been willing to wait.

Not long after she'd left, the Labyrinth had begun its decent into ruin. First the lakes (minus the Bog) had dried up, and though he'd had enough in reserve, the supply was beginning to wane substantially. Then it had been the trees. Once green and full of life, they were now brittle and dead. The air was now hot and sticky day and night, wreaking havoc with creatures' sleeping patterns.

And this had only started after Sarah had bested the Labyrinth…

No, that couldn't be possible! It had been foretold that once she who had the will and perseverance to solve the Labyrinth would be declared its Ruler. All those times he'd been called upon to rid someone of his or her never-ending burden of caring for a younger sibling, not one had been able to solve it. In fact, many had run the other way, screaming in terror. The siblings left behind were often adopted by families in the Goblin City who could not bear children, or whose children were grown and had long since moved out on their own.

Contrary to the narrative within the book's pages, it was not only the Goblin Population who lived within the city. There were a fair number of humans residing there still. One thing that had always vexed him was the fact that eventually, they died. Time was all relative to the citizens of the Labyrinth, but history long dictated that, if a human child was left behind, they would age as per the Aboveground.

"I think I found it!" he heard Sarah's voice in the oubliette.

There was a crashing sound.

"Nope," she sounded exasperated. "Damn it, I can't see!"

Sighing, Jareth conjured a crystal and sent it into the oubliette. A soft glow slowly appeared, giving her a chance of finding her way out.

She reappeared through a hole in another part of the wall.

"Sweet of you," she muttered in thanks, brushing dirt from her sleeves.

He gave her a curt nod.

Acknowledging all things left unsaid between them, Sarah turned and continued on her way. There was still a heavy sense of sadness in the air and she walked away from him, and still he could not understand what plagued her so.

She had mentioned losing her husband and son, though those words could have many connotations. The two names in the cemetery near her home Aboveground, Patrick and Michael. He had a vague idea of who they were. One does not spend seven years waiting to stay completely ignorant of the other's growth.

Without a doubt, he was proud of the strong, independent woman she had become. A far cry from the young girl she'd been when he had first met her.

No matter what had happened between them, the Labyrinth wanted her, and it was his duty to discover why.

Goblin King or not, his duty was to the Labyrinth first, himself second.

A pity indeed.


	4. Colourblind

**hazlgrnLizy: Thank you**

**Brown eyed Girl 75: I'm so glad. I am dedicating this chapter to you, because the ideas just seem to flow when we chat.**

**A/N: This chapter was very difficult to write, so please, if it sucks, tell me constructively. Or if it's good, tell me that too! **

**ooOoo**

_I am covered in skin. No one gets to come in. Pull me out from inside. I am folding, and unfolding, and unfolding. I am… colourblind. Coffee black and egg white. Pull me out from inside. I am ready, I am ready, I am ready, I am… fine._

_Colourblind- Counting Crows_

**ooOoo**

"_Mommy, read!" she could hear his voice vibrating through her mind. That was one of the last things Michael had asked her to do. He'd held out her old copy of the Labyrinth and smiled at her._

_She'd packed that book away years ago. _

"_How did you get your hands on that?" she'd asked him, bending down to kiss him goodnight._

"_Daddy find!" Michael had answered._

"_Oh, Daddy found it," she'd nodded and took the book from him. "Did Daddy say you could look at it?"_

"_Oblin!" he'd insisted._

"_Pardon?"_

"_Oblin!" he repeated. "Oblin 'ing!"_

"_Goblin King?" she opened the front cover to see a sketch of Jareth sitting on his throne haphazardly. _

_Slamming the book shut, she struggled to compose herself._

'_We'll read this book another time, Michael," she placed it on the dresser near his bed and pulled another book out of the bookshelf. Sitting at the end of the bed, she read until his eyes began to close._

"_Mommy?" he yawned, rubbing his eye._

"_Yes, darling?"_

"_Oblin 'ing?"_

"_Another time, sweetheart, I promise," she'd tucked him into bed, whispering 'Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite.'_

"_No bedbugs!"_

"_That's right. No bedbugs," Sarah had smiled. "It's only a song, love. Good night."_

_It had been the last time Michael had asked her for anything. She'd never gotten the chance to fulfill her promise of reading about the Goblin King to her son. She would've avoided wishing her son away to him, because he didn't distinguish between an actual wish and a wish read as part of a storybook._

_She had asked Patrick what had possessed him to go through her things and give Michael that wretched thing. He'd turned over, looking at her strangely. _

"_I didn't even know you had a copy, Sarah," he ran a hand over her cheek, kissing her nose._

"_Then how did Michael get his hands on it?"_

"_I have no idea, maybe he crawled into the closet and found it."_

"_It was in a padlocked box, there's no way he could have gotten…" Suddenly a vision of the Goblin King crossed her inner eye. "Nah…" she told herself._

"_What?"_

"_Nothing, good night dear," she kissed him and rolled over, attempting to sleep._

Sarah shook her head, attempting to rid herself of the memories. But really, that's all she had left of them. Once out of the oubliette she had wondered through twists and turns and never once ran into any other creatures. The last time she'd been here the place had been full of creatures.

But Didymus had mentioned Ambrocious dying, one of the first…

It didn't make sense. Even if she did have the knowledge of how to stop the Labyrinth's deterioration, she couldn't be its saving grace. And Jareth… uh… the Goblin King… was no help at all.

There was no way that any of what was happening could not be his doing. To tell her that the Labyrinth had cannibalized itself and that she was not here of his violation, she found it nearly impossible to believe.

Jareth did not do anything without an ulterior motive. He'd taken Toby at her request, and had made every possible attempt to thwart her. The Bog, threatening Hoggle, that huge mechanical monster at the gate to the Goblin City… and then he'd offered her everything she could have wanted, but for what?

**ooOoo**

Jareth watched her as she wandered aimlessly. The Labyrinth had certainly changed, and was not at all how she would have remembered it. In fact, it was one of the many things she had not understood seven years ago. The magic of the Labyrinth tapped into your mind and showed you what you felt. At fifteen, as many young people were, she was confused, trying to find her way, but not sure where to start, hence the maze.

That had been the reason he'd sent Hoggle to her, to get her started. Hoggle had done his bidding, under threat, but then he had befriended the girl. She'd solved the Labyrinth, getting to the castle and reclaiming her brother, and later gone on to make a life for herself.

And at the same time nearly destroyed him.

The girl who would be Queen…

**ooOoo**

"Your Majesty?" he heard behind him. Turning, he saw the dwarf holding a spray can.

"What is it, Hoghead?"

"Hoggle," the attempt to correct him was futile. The King could never remember Hoggle's proper name. Indeed, he'd been called Higgle, Hogbrain, Hedgewort… Hedgewart! How do you get Hedgewart out of Hoggle? "Um, I was just kinda wonderin'… who's in there now?"

He smiled. "Another runner."

"You're lyin'"

"You dare try my patience, Hogbrain?"

Hoggle stopped, remembering Jareth's favourite threat. The Bog of Eternal Stench was bad even if you _hadn't_ been dunked head -first. At that point, he decided, it would not be such a good idea to correct him.

"You lie, but you do it well," Hoggle covered.

"It is not a lie if I omit a point of truth," he muttered to himself.

"Yeah yeah, always with the omittin'" Hoggle waved a hand and dismissed himself. She hadn't called him in nearly seven Aboveground years. Yeah, he missed her. She'd really wanted to be his friend, and she had said she'd call if she needed him.

Maybe she didn't need him anymore.

Hoggle made his way down the stairs and back outside. Those damn fairies were eating at the plants again. Well, what was left of them anyway. With a lot of the trees dead the fairies were biting more than usual, and them fairy bites hurt!

Hoggle followed a fairy making its way through a nasty part of the Labyrinth. The damn thing had changed again! Always changing now that things were dying. Jareth couldn't do a damn thing about it. Wouldn't do anything about it, seemed like.

"Oh no you don't, come back here!" he muttered before bumping into someone's legs and falling backward into the dirt.

Looking up, he saw them bend down.

"Sarah?" he squinted. She seemed different. Older, obviously, but also sad. There wasn't that big grin he'd seen the last time. She seemed like she'd lost something. "What are you doing back here?"

"I don't know, it seems the Labyrinth wants me," Sarah helped him back on his feet.

"Why would it want you? Its dying…"

"That's all I've been hearing," Sarah told him. "The King told me it had cannibalized itself, Didymus said they were running out of food. I don't understand why any of this is happening."

"Maybe that's why it wants ya." Hoggle stepped in front of her. "That or Jareth wants ya for hisself," he mumbled under his breath. Looking back, he saw her standing still. "You coming?"

Sarah shook her head, making her feet move one in front of the other.

_That or Jareth wants you for himself_.

That was never going to happen, she'd make sure of it.


	5. Best of You

**hazlgrnLizzy: I'm so glad you think so. Thank you for the review**

**Special thanks to my muse BEG75 for helping the ideas for this story move along. **

**Feel free to leave a review, everyone, the door is always open. **

**ooOoo**

_Has someone taken your faith, its real, the pain you feel. The life, the love, you'd die to heal. The hope that starts, the broken hearts, your trust, you must confess… Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you? Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?_

_Best of You- Foo Fighters_

**ooOoo**

Sarah followed behind Hoggle, wondering why everyone seemed so much older. Hadn't Jareth, _Goblin King_, she chastised herself. _He is the Goblin King, that's all_, said that time was all relative? Okay, so it had been seven years, but never had she seen someone age so rapidly. The last time she'd seen Hoggle he'd been a short, aged dwarf with a dry sense of humour. Now he was having trouble walking, and he seemed much more disillusioned with his life.

"So why did'ja never call us, Sarah?"

"I got married and had a baby," she answered. "And when that happens you have to give up childish fantasies."

"We ain't no fantasy, Sarah," he told her, pushing aside a branch in their way. "If we're a fantasy, why would you be back here?"

"You make a good point," she acknowledged. "But I can't be here, Hoggle. I don't want to be here."

"Neither do we, but we are. Ludo and Didymus and me. When you left Jareth was worse then before. Do you know how many times he threatened me with the Bog, just cause he could?"

"Is that really any different then how he was before?"

"Well…" he hesitated. "No, but I just don't think he needed to do it. I didn't do nothing and he still thinks its funny."

"Always pegged him for a sadist," Sarah muttered. "Still, looking at him now, he's not that scary."

"You say that cause you're older."

"No, I say that because I was a mom. My son climbed all over everything. He once decided it would be a good idea to jump from the stairs on to the table. I caught him before he did it, but oh, was he mad at me," she shook her head. "Anyway, Hoggle, Jareth is really just a big kid. He sulks if he doesn't get his way."

"So all you're saying is that Jareth's just acting like your boy would have."

"I suppose, if you want to think of it that way," she reached into her pocket, producing a creased photograph of Michael sitting with a teddy bear, getting his portrait done. She'd allowed him to pick his own outfit for the occasion. He'd insisted on a red sweater and blue jeans with bright green trainers. It hadn't mattered that the outfit itself made him look like a little Christmas elf, she was just proud of the fact that he'd picked out his own clothes.

"What'cha looking at?"

"A picture."

"Of what? It okay for me to look at?"

"Sure," Sarah handed him the photograph.

"Cute little critter," Hoggle studied the photograph. "You sure he's yours? He don't look nothing like you."

"Nothing tra la la?" she smirked. "He looks like his father, that's why."

"Lucky for him."

"Oh Hoggle, you wound me," she smiled for the first time in a long while. "It doesn't matter anymore. I've lost them both."

Hoggle looked up at her. "What do you mean, you've lost 'em? Didn't wish 'em away and they ended up stuck here, did'ja?"

"No, I didn't wish them away. I don't know what happened. After I'd rescued Toby I'd sworn that I would never wish for anything or anyone again. I'd put away everything that had anything to do with the Labyrinth and decided to let go of my fantasies."

Hoggle seemed to look at her with sympathy, stopping dead in his tracks, his eyes now the size of dinner plates.

"Even if you force us to relinquish power over you, we don't die, Sarah," she heard a smooth voice behind her.

Turning on the spot, there stood Jareth. _The Goblin King_, she corrected herself.

"Forgotten something?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not at all, what gave you the impression?"

"You're standing in front of me, which you would not do if you didn't want something. You do nothing without an ulterior motive, Goblin King, and you very well know that I want to get out of here as quickly as possible."

"Sarah, I am offended that you think such things of me."

"No you're not. It's exactly how you want me to think," there was ice in her voice. "Now, either tell me which way to go, or kindly piss off."

It was then that he gripped her forearm. His grip was strong enough to leave bruises, yet she would not yield. Her green eyes bore into his with hardly a blink between them. If this had become a battle of wits, she would not rest until she had bested him once again.

"I told you not to provoke me, you know better than that."

"Do I?" she answered.

_Defiant tart_, he thought. They stood as they were for what seemed a lifetime until he relented. Letting go of her arm, he turned to walk away. He would like nothing more than to take her in his arms, to see that passionate young girl she had hidden within herself.

He saw her smirking and the rustling of leaves and shoes scraping the bark. It had taken her less than three minutes to climb to the high branches, making herself a perch.

"Tell me Sarah, shall I call you Madamoiselle Spider Monkey?"

"Sure, if you don't mind being called Lord Tightpants." She peered through a bunch of leaves, searching for some sort of clue.

"My derriere is for sitting, Sarah, not for kissing," he very briefly transformed into an owl and followed her into the tree.

"I never have and never will kiss your ass, Goblin King." She remained completely stoic as he transformed back, sitting on the branch opposite hers.

"I have failed to impress you again, I see."

"Oh, I'm sorry, was that meant to be impressive?" she leaned over, trying to look down over the top of the labyrinth, perhaps to see if she could solve the maze in her mind first, and then use that image to navigate her way to the castle. "I can't see anything."

"Perhaps you need to climb to a higher branch."

"I don't have a death wish, if that's what you're implying," she shook her head.

He tilted his head to one side, making him look almost like a curious lion. Conjuring a crystal, he held it in front of her face, with the words _'It would probably be best if you'd just let me be, leave me alone to die' _echoing through it.

"I was exhausted that night, and you had just shown up on my doorstep. I would've said anything to get you to leave me alone."

He shook his head. "Seven years after and you still do not understand the power of words."

"That's where you're wrong, Goblin King," she slid off the branch, allowing herself to fall. She hit the ground and rolled, allowing for the impact to radiate through her body instead of one specific area. Of course, it hurt at that point, but it would fade. He watched as she picked herself up and continued in the direction she had been heading. "I understand the power of words just fine."

"It does not seem so," he appeared next to her. They came to another wall, but there had not been a wall through the forest the last time she had run this thing. What was going on?

"Well when I told my husband 'Till death do us part', I meant every word. When I told my son 'No matter what happens, I will love you forever', I meant that as well. When I swore that I would never wish for anything again, I meant that. Those were meant to stick. Now I'm left with nothing," she sized up the wall in front of her. Could she jump it, or would she have to rely on him to help her? "I don't even know why I'm telling you this. You don't care about what happened to me."

**ooOoo**

How dare she imply such a thing? The sheer impudence of such a claim! It had been she who had never called upon them again; it had been she who had told him he had no power over her, which was still true; it was she who was still resisting him…

"Sarah, you know that is not true."

"And here I thought you were so much more eloquent."

"Well then Sarah, tell me, what does one say in response to an accusation such as that?"

She was silent. He argued a good point. How would she have responded to the same accusation? But then again... surely he could not have been waiting for her for seven years? That was preposterous. No one waits for someone who may not return for seven years. Wasn't there someone else he could have made his queen?

Shaking her head, she turned away from him.

"Sarah…"

"Look, there's nothing we can do about it. If the Labyrinth is dying and it wants me to solve it again, let me go and let me solve it."

"As you wish, my lady."

Shivering, she turned to him. "That is neither a title I want or deserve. Do not ever call me that again."

"It is a pity that you think of yourself in such a way, Sarah," he said as he faded from view. She blinked, and turned back to the wall that still stood in front of her. Could she jump over it, or would she need help?

"Hoggle?" she called, tentatively. He'd disappeared after the Goblin King had come in. Seven years before, he had told her that 'I'm a coward, and Jareth scares me'. She guessed it still rang true.

"Uh, Sarah, I'm up here!" he called. "Here…" he threw a rope down to her, holding on to the other end.

"Thanks Hoggle," she grabbed hold and used her body weight to pull herself up. Reaching the top, she stopped for a minute. "What are you doing up here? You didn't follow me up the tree, did you?"

"Nah, I can't do stuff like that."

"Then how did you get up here?"

"You're forgettin' things ain't always what they seem in here…"

"Okay, but you didn't answer my question."

"Well you're up here now, ain't ya?" he answered gruffly. "Ain't no use asking questions when you're where you wanna be."

She raised her eyebrow. She leaned over, seeing the ever -memorable Bog on the other side of the wall.

"You must be joking," she shook her head again.

"Welcome to the Labyrinth, Sarah," she heard Jareth's voice once again.

"Sure Goblin King," she scaled her way down the other side, stopping just short of putting her foot in the Bog. "Welcome to Hell."


	6. It's Over, Casanova

**Brown eyed Girl 75: Would not be possible if I did not have you to bounce ideas off of. This chapter is somewhat of a flashback, but it's really important too. Thank you so much for your review.**

**hazlgrnLizzy: Thank you. I hope you find this one just as enjoyable as well.**

**ooOoo**

_With a love gone sour, I've lost my appetite. There's no more flavour, Talking sweet now won't fix it somehow. Don't Casanova me, I'm over you, it's over obviously. Don't put your sugar on me; it's too late to sweeten this baby. Hey Casanova, it's over._

_It's Over, Casanova- Lights_

**ooOoo**

Of course he'd do something like that, she mused. The Bog wasn't the worst, however. No smell emitted from the Bog could compare to some of Michael's nappies. She could remember that there had been a time where she'd left boiled eggs in the fridge to make egg salad sandwiches for lunch the next day. Being an idiot, she mused in hindsight, she'd left them on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Michael had wandered into the kitchen and opened said appliance. Being three years old and a growing boy, he'd grabbed a peeled egg and shoved it in his mouth, downing it in less than 10 minutes. She'd been at work and Patrick had been watching him for the afternoon, but Patrick had been moving the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer when it had happened.

When she'd arrived home, she'd decided to make it up so it was prepared for the next morning. She distinctly remembered boiling seven eggs, enough for a couple of days worth of sandwiches. There were now five left in the bowl.

"Pat?" she'd called from the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"Did you eat any of the eggs I'd set aside for egg salad?" she placed the bowl on the counter.

"No…" he came into the kitchen. "I figured that's what they were for so I didn't touch them."

Her eyes went wide. It was at that point that Michael came into the kitchen, his teddy bear's arm in his mouth.

"Michael, Teddy's arm does not belong in your mouth," Sarah bent down to his level, gently freed Teddy the bear and looked him in the eye. "Did you go into the fridge and eat some eggs?"

"Daddy did it!" he insisted.

"No… Daddy already told Mommy he didn't eat any, that he listened to Mommy's words and did not touch what he wasn't allowed to," she explained. "Mommy's not mad at you, Michael. Mommy just wants to know if you ate the eggs."

Grinning, he giggled as he nodded yes.

"Thank you," she got up. "You go into the living room, okay? Daddy and Mommy are going to have a talk."

"Trouble?"

"No, you're not in trouble," she kissed the top of his head. "Go ahead, Mommy and Daddy will be there in a minute."

Michael toddled away, dragging Teddy the bear behind him.

"That's going to be a hell of a diaper change in another hour or so," she shook her head as she opened the fridge and pulled out the jar of mayonnaise. "And I do not want to change any more diapers today."

"He's not just my son," Patrick answered.

"I know that, honey, but it's a good bonding experience for the two of you."

"For me to change his bare ass while he's got the arsenal pointed straight for me?"

"He's not always armed and dangerous," she bit back a laugh. "If you relax while you're changing him, he'll relax."

"I don't want this diaper change if it's going to be like a bomb exploded."

"Flip a coin for it?"

"Rock paper scissors, best two of three," he offered.

"Deal!"

She'd lost the game. He'd beaten her twice with scissors cutting paper and paper covering rock. When Michael came to her tugging on her pant leg, proclaiming 'Uh oh, Mommy. Uh oh…' she'd rolled her eyes and gently took his hand to lead him into the bathroom.

And Patrick had had the gall to laugh. She'd thrown a pillow at him and walked with Michael, whispering 'You're an ass' over her shoulder.

He'd brayed like a donkey as she disappeared into the bathroom.

She emerged more than half an hour later with Michael wrapped in a towel, his hair still dripping wet from his bath.

"That must have been one bad diaper, huh Champ?"

"Uh huh, stinky poo poo diaper!" Michael shouted as he was carried into his bedroom.

Sarah popped her head around the door before disappearing as well. "You owe me big time, buddy!"

"Yes dear," he chuckled. Ten minutes later Michael had come careening full tilt into his legs, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

"All clean, Daddy!" he'd announced.

"I see that," he'd smiled, picking him up and settling his son on his hip. "No more eggs, though, right?"

"No egg!"

"Good boy," he smiled, setting him down and gave him a pat on the bum. "You go into the living room and play with your toys. Daddy's going to see Mommy, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy."

"You and Teddy stay away from the kitchen, you got that little man?"

"Okay, I be good!"

Patrick had followed her into the laundry room, where she was bent over the machine separating items.

"Stupid rock paper scissors, I usually win at that game! How did I not win? It's always me doing the goddamn exploding diapers, why doesn't he do it for once? Oh no, don't worry baby, I don't mind. Pfft, yeah right…" he heard her muttering.

He bent and kissed her neck, feeling a shiver go down her spine.

"Oi!" she straightened, turning, and slapped him in the shoulder. "Do not kiss me while I'm bent over the washing machine!"

"That's exactly how I like you, baby," he whispered in her ear.

She shivered, giving him a quick kiss. "You're a pervert."

"That's why you married me," he smirked.

"Uh no, I married you because you knocked me up," she gently pushed him out of the way, smiling the entire time.

"You know I love you."

"Of course I know that, you cheeky monkey," she smiled, giving him a pat on the ass. "And I love you too. Why else would I have married you?"

"You just said it was because I knocked you up."

"It was a combination of the two…"

**ooOoo**

"Sarah, you ready to go?" Hoggle asked.

"Say what?"

"We gotta get going," he answered. "You wanna solve this quick, don't cha?"

"Sure, yeah. Sorry, was caught up in memories for a second there." Shaking her head, she bent down on her haunches, close to the Bog, attempting to find the easiest route across. The rocks weren't there, and without Ludo to call them, and the bridge still not rebuilt (not that she blamed them, who would want to rebuild a bridge over the Bog of Eternal Stench, with the risk of falling in and such?), unless she swung from tree to tree, she saw no alternative to walking around it.

"Hoggle, how long will it take for us to get around the Bog?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You'd think with everything dyin', this damned thing would be the first thing to go."

"That's funny, I always thought that the Bog would outlast anything in this place," she muttered.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because the things that are unpleasant or upset us stay longer than any happiness we might feel."

"Now don't be gettin' upset," Hoggle patted the side of her knee. "Can't have you gettin' upset if we wanna solve this."

"You're right, Hoggle," she looked from side to side. "Any chance we could go that way?"

"What way?"

"To the left and around."

"Maybe if we… go back, there might be something."

"If there were, wouldn't we have seen it?"

"Didn't that Old Man tell you that the way forward is sometimes the way back?"

"He did, but it didn't help, remember?"

"Could call Jareth…"

"What?" her mouth nearly fell open. "No. No no no. That is the _last _thing we will be doing, and only if we are in dire straits."

"Look around you, Sarah…"

"This is not what I consider dire straits, Hoggle. If need be I'll swim the damn Bog."

**ooOoo**

"Oh Sarah, precious, no," Jareth whispered, balancing a crystal on his index finger. "No one would dare swim the Bog. I would not wish that on my worst enemy."

He watched as she looked up. "Maybe if we just…" she bent down again. "Hoggle, would you be able to hold on to my back if you had to?"

"Sure, don't see why I can't…" he answered. "What'cha thinkin'?"

"I'm thinking, that if you hold on to my back and I swing from branch to branch, we could get across and not have to worry about whether or not we fall."

_That's my Sarah_, Jareth mused, rolling the crystal over the back of his hand and into the other palm. _Always thinking_.

He remained where he was as she swung from branch to branch, giving him just cause to call her Madamoiselle Spider Monkey. It was clumsy, and Hogbrain looked terrified clinging to her as though his life depended on it. There was a sigh of relief as they reached the other side of the Bog unharmed. Vanishing the crystal, he made his way from the tower window to his bedroom.

Sinking into an armchair, he had no choice but to bide his time. Sarah had not called to him; therefore he could not go to her. He had broken his own rule several times in the past few hours, he mused. All in the name of seeing his precious Sarah again, surely the Labyrinth could not begrudge him that.

Twice he had done so, and the voices in the Labyrinth had warned him about his return to the castle that he must not do so again. They could not promise that the Labyrinth itself would not retaliate the third time.

Your duty is to the Labyrinth first, Goblin King, he could hear the voice taunting him. To yourself second, this Sarah Williams cannot come between you and your duty. Think wisely on your next move, we cannot promise that we will not cause her harm.

The thought of Sarah in pain was enough for him to rake his gloved fingers along the arms of the chair.

"That I will not allow."

"Consider your options, Goblin King," they told him. "Consider your options."


End file.
